It can be easy to get caught up in the logistics of a move. Often, many things have to happen in a short time. And having things to do keeps your mind busy. It’s easy to put your anxieties about a move to the side when you have a to-do list a mile long and …
If you’ve never had to house camp before, it can be tricky to think through it. House camping is when you’re still at home but without all your things. This can be on the leaving end, either after your stuff is in boxes or after it’s on its way to your next duty station. Or …
My husband and I have been married for 10 years. And the vast majority of that time, we’ve lived overseas. My first official duty station as a military spouse was Japan. When we were offered the chance to stay overseas, we took it—and moved to Italy. In all the years we were overseas, we only …
Decluttering is a learned skill. It takes practice. And I’ve learned it’s best done when you have some time. Under the pressure of a deadline, you may be tempted to get rid of something you wish you hadn’t. I usually start going through our things 6 months to a year before our scheduled move. That …
It’s October. I’m at my parents’ house, the house my dad built with his own hands from the ground up. I lived in this house from age 2 until I moved out at 25. But I’ve had roots on the property since before I was born. Like any good child, I left some (many) things …
This is the house where I’ve felt the least at home. In the 10 years I’ve been a military spouse, this is our 4th house. Some of the unsettled feeling is likely because I’m finally getting used to this transitory life. I know we will move again. Why get too attached? Why unpack all the …
Italy was our most recent overseas duty station. While it brought its own unique learning curve and challenges (as all duty stations do), it was an amazing place to spend three years. We learned a lot while we were there and grew our family by two. We were stationed in Northern Italy. Of course, there …
PCSing with kids is not for the faint of heart. There’s a lot that comes with moving with children. Both of our children were born in Italy. While we had done some European travel while living abroad, this PCS was our first big adventure with both children. With 14 hours of flight time and a …
It’s been a long road to get here, with blood, sweat, and tears (maybe literally). You’ve made lists, reservations, and flights. And today is a big box to check—moving day. Today, the movers arrive, armed with boxes and tape, ready to pack your whole life and send it across the country (or across the world). …
Our most recent OCONUS move was from Italy to the States in October 2024. At the time, my second child was about six months old and still nursing. I had quite the freezer stash of breastmilk and wrestled with whether or not to try to bring it with us. To be honest, this was one …
